The flaws that define us
by AnimeImagitiveFluff
Summary: No matter how much we try, plead, cry, beg or prey we cant change what we were born with, and it is this reason that sometimes secrets cant stay just that, secret. Confused? I guess you will just have to read to find out more
1. The start

'This is not a good place to be standing right now my lady'

'You think?' said Ladybug sarcastically, grabbing Chat Noir's hand and sprinting towards the only door not blocked by the rubble falling from the ceiling.

They were on a mission, simple enough, it was going fine, the butterfly was white again and the helpless girl was freed from her negative feelings over the pain of falling in love with a fuckboy that had kept her captive. Lady had used the magic charm, this time in the form of shoe, and managed to slow down the grey skinned girl enough for the duo to grab her walking stick and shatter it on a metal support beam. Lady sent the girl and all her victims home to their normal lives and the cat and the bug were just about to bid their adieu when with a crack, the support beam had split in two, sending the building to start collapsing around them.

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It took all of my skills not to be crushed by debrief, and also some of Chat's skill too as he constantly had to nudge me out of the way of metal poles or heavy cement. I may be the smart one that saved the day in the end (if I do say so myself), but there was no denying that Chat was the one with the gymnastic skills.

'We need to move faster!' I yelled, jumping over a chunk of roofing the size of a car.

'You don't say my lady' Chat replied dancing threw a minefield of falling support beams.

I opened her mouth to reply but Chat seized that moment to field tackle me to the ground. Rolling over each other we slid into one of the only remaining walls, hard. The breath got knocked out of me painfully as I slid with the force of both of us into a metal pole jutting out of the wall, and all the dust in the air did not help me reclaim it.

'Are you alright?' Chat asked me, shielding me against falling dust with his broad shoulders. I saw the worry in his green eyes but was too annoyed as to why he tackled me in the first place to really care.

'What was- 'I stated angrily as I got my breath back, before noticing over his shoulder, threw the clearing dust, Chat had just saved me from being crushed to death. But unfortunately, he had not saved our escape exit.

'Shit' I said, thinking of nothing else to say.

'You were coughing like death and that is what you say!' Chat said amazed, smiling down at me despite everything around us.

'Do you not see what we have gotten ourselves into!' I exclaimed, motioning with my red gloved hand the utter mess that surrounded us.

'There are worse ways to go, my lady' he purred into my ear, his arms tightening around me and his thick golden hair brushing the side of my face.

'Now is not the time Chat' I said, ignoring his flirting as usual and pulling both of us to our feet. There was a dull pain in my back where I had hit the wall, but I ignored it.

'We need another exit!'

'Use your lucky charm!' Chat implored, twirling me out of the way of falling debris as if we were waltzing at a dance then evading death.

'I already used it remember, and I don't have that much time left as Ladybug either'

'Then think my darling, that's what your good at!'

'Can you turn down the flirting just a tad today. We are trapped on the top floor of a collapsing building about to- OF COURSE!'

I gripped his hand harder and pulled him towards the opposite side of the room.

'The exits on the other side of the room, my lady' he said, faintly alarmed.

'Yes, but remember, we made that girl crash through the roof moments ago'

'And you fixed it!'

'But we know it's a weak point! Smash it Chat Noir, now!'

'As you say, my lady!' he purred, pulling his staff from his pocket and flicking a switch on it that made it extend superfast into the ceiling and creating a hole in it, and, just as I had predicted, the roof in a small perimeter collapsed into an excitable hole.

Chat whooped with excitement at the sight of the blue sky above, grinning at me. I was about to grin back, when a giant pile of thin metal beams collapsed onto my partner.

'CHAT' I screamed, rushing forward and pulling them one by one off his still blond form.

'Lady, wait' he moaned softly. 'stop!'

'What?' I cried out, panic painting my voice.

'You're going to make it collapses on me' he groaned. I stopped what I was doing, he was right! I was panicking too much to notice that with every beam I pulled from the pile more fell directly onto him. His outfit, with its tough material stopped them from impaling him, but he was being crushed alive before my very eyes.

'oh god' I sobbed. 'what do I do?' I always sucked at Janga, I was going to kill him before I did any good!

Chat moaned softly as he turned slightly to see the metal death trap on top of him.

'That blue pole near the top, pull it out and the left side will collapse off me'

I hesitated.

'Y-you sure?'

'Positive My Lady, Janga champion 4 years running'

I reached out for a beam near the top.

'T-this one?'

'That green'

I pointed at another.

'This one?'

'No'

'This- '

'No'

'This one- '

'Lady what are you doing? The blue one!'

'umm- '

'Lady what is it?'

'well, you see' I said, stressing each word as the building shifted around us causing the poles to crush him ever so much more.

'Lady- '

'I'm colour blind!' I cried out.

'WHAT!' Chat yelled, his voice rising from pain and shock. 'WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME!'

'Why should it matter? I never thought I would have to do this and- '

'Save it for latter Lady, for this really fucking hurts' Chat moaned as another section fell onto him, he couldn't even turn his head anymore!

'What do I do! God, what -oh, uh god. shit'

I looked down at Chat, his hands and teeth clenched together to hide the scream of pain that wanted to be released.

He was worth what I was going to do, with all its risks and worry's, I was about to do something that I have never wanted to do from the start. Because he was worth it.

'SPOTS OFF!' I shouted, releasing my kwami, Tikki from my ear rings for her to float down into my hands.

'LADY!' Chat cried out in alarm. 'WHAT ARE YOU DOING? DON'T!'

'Mari, what's happening?' Tikki asked alarmed.

'Quick, Tikki, which beam is the blue one! I don't know! Tell me Tikki and hurry!'

Tikki gasped and looked around her, taking in the situation of the collapsing building particularly fast. With a determined nod, she took off from my hands and flew over to the pile and started sorting through the beams, ever so once in a while nudging a beam out of the pile onto the floor.

'Lady!' Chat gasped, trying desperately to look up at me but unable too.

'Chat, please don't' I said softly, kneeling down in front of him and brushing his fringe softly into his eyes. He grabbed my hand and held it tightly, breathing hard.

'Lady, your so close yet you won't let me see! Why?'

'I-I'm not ready yet Chat. I'm scared, so incredible scared to revealing myself'

'Even to me! Your partner?'

'Yes, Chat Noir, even to you!' I said softly, gripping his hand tightly.

'Mira' said Tikki, hovering above my head. 'This will be heavy for a minute or two, but it is the only way'

I nodded. She nodded back and floated away.

'W-what did she say?' Chat asked.

'It's going to be hard to breath for a bit 'kay, but after that you can get out and have some … some tuna or something'

He laughed weakly, gripping my hand even tighter in his gloved grip. His claws pinched into my hand but I said nothing.

'Perfect' he muttered softly. 'Just Purrrfect'

I smiled weakly at his terrible pun, but my smile faded immediately as the beams shifted, and started to crush my friend.

He moaned out harshly threw his teeth, griping my hand so hard it hurt, but I just gripped it as hard as I could in return. With my free hand I wiped away my tears.

'Endure it for a second more' Tikki called, before, like leaves falling from a tree just hit by a car in fall, it all collapsed.

'Chat!' I called, pushed the metal poles aside to get to my blond friend. 'Chat, **Chat Noir**!'

'Ladybug!' Cried out Tikki, flinging herself onto my hand. 'Transform!'

'But- '

'Become yourself first and you can clear them faster!'

I let out a puff of breath. I did not sign us for this!

'Transformation: Ladybug' I yelled, 'Yeah'

Back in red I brushed all the debris off Chat Noir with one swipe of my hand, and pulled his slight limp body over my shoulder in a fireman's hold.

'Quick Marinette!' Tikki whispered to me as I wiped out my yo-yo and threw it out the hole in the roof attaching itself to the smallholding of a nearby building. We were pulled from the ruined building just as it imploded on itself.

I swung with Chat Noir over my shoulder across the black and white sunset city of Paris, leaping from roof to roof with ease despite my cargo. Eventually I came to a stop atop of my own house, and let him down gently onto my deck chair, just as I transformed back into my civilian self. I sat down with an exhausted sigh, rubbing my sore hand that was starting to bruise.

'Marinette' Tikki said to me, floating (exhausted as well) down onto my shoulder.

'I had no choice' I told her, looking at Chat's still form. He had a cut on his chin that had smudged blood across his face.

'I was running out of time, and I just wanted to go home'

'But what are we going to do when he sees you?'

'I can just say the Ladybug had to go home, but she didn't want to abandon Chat in this state so she put him in the safekeeping of the only mutual friend she knows they have. Good old faithful Marinette!'

Tikki pondered over this for a bit.

'that' she said, 'is actually a good idea'

I smiled down at her. She looked over the verge of collapse.

'Tikki, go get something to eat from the stash. I will be fine out here'

'Oh no, I'm not leaving until you tell me what's wrong! You have been out of it since we got home!'

'What, all 2 minutes of being here!'

'Yes, now, what's up?'

I sighed and looked down at my hands. One was still damp from my tears and the other red and slightly swollen, purple in places and covered in small cuts, I think I dislocated a finger or something, and was too piped up on adrenalin to notice, but now it was starting to throb. I ignored it.

'Marinette! Tell me- '

'Just look at him Tikki' I interrupted, still not looking up. 'He looks like death, and I almost watched him DIE!'

'He will be fine Marine- '

'But I won 't! Look at me Tikki! I am not used to this, like sure, we do dangerous stuff, but never has it been this real before. He almost died from a stupid accident and my- my disability was the cause of that, if only I had been able to see that stupid beam!'

'Marinette, we survived, I can guarantee he will be fine by morning!'

'BUT HE WOULDN'T BE LIKE THIS IN THE FIRST PLACE IF YOU HAD OF PICKED A BETTER LADYBUG!' I yelled, my voice rising as more tears threatened to burst out.

'If YOU had picked a better ladybug we wouldn't be here in the FIRST PLACE! You KNEW I was colour blind when you picked me, you said it would be fine, but it wasn't'

I sat down on the edge of the seat that Chat was insensible on.

'This isn't alright Tikki' I whispered, wiping away tears from my eyes as they started to fall, but I couldn't stop them from coming, no matter how hard I tried. 'This is all my fault' rebounded in my head over and over, making me feel worse and worse.

'Marinette' Tikki said quietly into my ear. 'He's trying to say something'

I gasped and turned towards Chat Noir. The sunset was resting over him in gentle waves, turning his white hair blinding in this light. I had never seen hair this fair before in my life, besides my darling Adrian of course, but even his was never this captivating. I guess this was why I likes blonds so much, in this world of greys and blacks in all 50 shades of shit, I can always rely on Chat's hair to stand out like a torch, always guiding me to the fight.

0000000

'Lady' I moaned, trying against my exhaustion to open my eyes. I was so tired, and so sore. So very sore. My whole body hurt from being crushed under those beams, from my toes to my fake cat ears. I remember Lady panicking, saying she couldn't see which pole to take out of the mix because she was colour blind! Seriously! I have known her for almost a year now and I'm still learning new things about her.

But I was so close to seeing her fully today, without the mask and the superpowers! The real girl behind this getup that I love. But she was crying, telling me she was so scared of the world knowing who she is, even if it started with me. I wanted so bad to see the girl attached to the hands that brushed my hair into my eyes and dirt off my face, but hearing her sound so crushed, I couldn't. It almost hurt more than being crushed by metal work. But of course, that hurt too. The only thing that stopped me from screaming like a child was Lady's hand in mine, gripping me like she never wanted to let go. And then the crushing weight was gone. I was gasping for breath, fighting off the black dots that loomed over everything, too tired to even look up, I tried to call out to her, but I couldn't find the breath.

I heard her, distantly, as if she was at the other end of a tunnel shouting my name, then I felt hands holding me, tenderly, like they wanted to do nothing but help me. It has been a long time since I had been held like that! I used the rest of my energy to squint up at Ladybug, my partner, she was back in red, dust covering every inch of her but her blue eyes shining as bright as the stars. And that was when I exhaustion over took me. I remember the feeling of being picked up, of some hard object pushed into my stomach as someone held my legs. Then I was weightless. I was too tired to question what was happening, too tired to do anything but endure in darkness as someone carried me away from harm. Next thing I knew I was lying on a soft bed type object, my heavy head propped up on a pillow. I heard distant voices getting louder. It was my lady!

'none of this - if you had of picked - better ladybug!'

What was she saying? I had to do something, she sounded so desperate.

I fought to open my eyes and was greeted with a bright light. Sunset.

I saw the silhouette of Ladybug, talking to a small floating object. Her kwami.

'I shouldn't be seeing this' I thought as I closed my eyes again, but I couldn't stop myself from listening.

'If YOU had picked a better ladybug we wouldn't be here in the FIRST PLACE! You KNEW I was colour blind when you picked me, you said it would be fine, but it wasn't'

She can't be thinking this? It wasn't her fault that this happened! I have to say SOMETHIING!

'Lady' I moaned, as quiet as a whisper. I could hear her crying now, that helped my voice grow with volume as my heart shattered with sadness.

'Lady' I said again, I heard her gasp and suddenly she was next to me, cupping her hand to my face and brushing the crud and dust off my check, her hands were damp from her tears.

'Chat' she whispered. 'Chat Noir, are you ok?'

'I will be fine My Lady' I said as loud as I could. My head protested with each syllable, I felt her lean in to hear me better. I tried to look at her but the light was too bright.

'Chat' she said, sniffing. 'I'm so sorry, I should have told you that I couldn't see, I am so- '

'My lady' I said, reaching up with my 5-ton hand to brush her damp cheek. 'Do not blame yourself from an accident sent from the universe. It was an un-purrdictable event!'

She laughed softly, taking my hand from her face to hold it tightly.

'I always hated your puns' she said softly.

'Comme il faut' I said, letting my hand fall slack in her grip for the weight of it was just too big.

'Sleep now' Ladybug said, brushing my face. 'I have to leave now, but I am leaving you in the care of a friend!'

'Don't leave me' I whispered. She sighed.

'I will see you tomorrow my Cat, may your dreams be pleasant ones that heal the soul and the mind'

I tried to hold onto her hand, to make her stay, but it was too late, I was already asleep.

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'Marinette!' my mother called. 'Where are you?'

'Here Mama' I called, letting go of Chat Noir's hand at last and rushing down the stairs onto my loft bed suspended over my room.

I was colour bind, there is no deigning that, I have seen the world in greys and white since I remember, I feel no sorrow for myself for this is how I have always been, so that was why, when I got to be Ladybug, when for the first time in my life I was able to see the colour red in its many shades, I was so happy. Being able to see one third of the colour chart was more than I ever expected in life, to see the red sun, to see pink cotton candy, to even see red traffic lights for peats sake, I was never happier. Only my teachers, parents and Alya know about my eyes, and I was always too embarrassed to tell everyone else, for who would want a colour blind fashion designer? My best friend Alya always helped me out in small ways, like telling me when I am using my bright yellow highlighter for school work instead of my black pen, or telling me when the two colours I am using in art or sowing look terrible together. I never felt bad about my disability, I never even thought twice about it, but now, after what happened, despite what Tikki and Chat Noir say, I can't get what I did, or what I lack of did out of my head.

'Marinette!' my mother said, standing in my doorway. 'What are you doing up there?'

'just watching the sunset Mama' I said smiling. 'I was thinking about going star watching up there tonight since the weather was clear'

My mother laughed. 'Come have dinner first dear'

'Can't I eat it up there?' I pleaded. I didn't want to leave Chat up there alone, he could just get up drowsily and fall off the building ending up as road kill. My mother looked at me for a moment without blinking, before splitting into a massive grin.

'I think that would be a wonderful idea. Bad thing my knee won't let me up there and your father can't even fit through the window!'

I laughed, brushing my hair out of my eyes with one hand and flinching as I nudged my hurt finger.

'What is it?' my mother asked, noticing my flinch.

'Nothing' I lied, hiding my hand being my back.

She shrugged and told me to follow her to the kitchens, and about half an hour later was back up on the balcony with a full pick nick basket full of food and pillows and blankets. My parents always went over board when I want to do something abnormal, and being a baker did not help.

'Do you want my meringue?' I asked Tikki as I sat down the food basket next to the window.

'I don't like those' she said, hovering over my head.

'so what do you want out of the pick of sandwiches, toffee apples and hundreds of other sweets?' I asked her, throwing a blanket over Chat's still form. His hair grew darker with the fading of the light, and I was sad to see it lose its glow.

With a sigh I sat down beside his feet and took out my fabric tape, it was better then duck tape I suppose.

'What are you doing Marinette?' Tikki asked, settling down on my shoulder to see my tape one of my fingers to the other slowly, flinching a lot as I went.

'I hurt my hand before, I'm just taping it up so I stop hurting it'

'We should go to the hospital with that' Tikki said concerned.

I smiled.

'It's fine, remember when I jammed my finger into my door last year, we went to the hospital and they did just this, I will be fine'

'Are you sure?' asked Tikki, 'did you get hurt anywhere else?'

'my back is aching' I admitted.

'Show me then?' she demanded. With a sigh I took of my black cardigan. I heard her gasp.

'What, what is it Tikki?' I asked.

'your bleeding!'

'What!'

I got up and jumped down into my room, looking over my shoulder at my torn up back in my mirror. It looked worse than it felt, with four long shallow marks down my left shoulder disappearing under my white shirt, which was stained with dried red blood.

'How did I not notice!' I complained.

'Notice what Princess'

I gave out a gasping type of scream and turned to see Chat Noir leaning down into my room threw my window.

'Your awake' I said shocked. I cleared my throat and brushed away my shock. 'About time too, it's been about 3 hours since you fell asleep'

'Three hours!' Chat said loudly, looking panicked.

I laughed. 'Not really, you've been asleep for about 40 minutes now'

He visible relaxed and then glared at me.

'Why cat, do you gave a curfew?' I joked. He glared harder.

I laughed again and climbed out onto my balcony again.

'So Chat Noir' I said, smiling at him. 'Feeling better?'

'Of course Princess'

'My name is Marinette' I said rolling my eyes. Really, he flirted with anyone with two legs.

'Oh I know, so Marinette, what happened to your back?' he asked, his flirtatious personality falling away. I even saw hints of worry in his eyes.

'I spilt red paint down my back before, I didn't even notice!' I said shaking my head in fake embarrassment, before leaning down to retrieve my black cardigan.

'And your hand?'

'jammed it in my door, broke a finger I think, I don't know really, it only happened a few hours ago'

'Then doesn't it hurt?'

I shrugged, biting my lip to stop myself from flinching from moving my tender back.

'Thank you by the way' Chat said casually as I shrugged my shirt on, trying to avoid my hand.

'For what?' I asked nonchalantly.

'For looking out for me when Ladybug couldn't'

'It's ok, I owe you from- 'I stopped talking when I saw his expression. He looked almost bitter that his lady wasn't here, it tugged at my heart strings, I didn't want my friend to be sad over something I couldn't control, if only he knew.

'Don't be sad' I said sitting down on the seat he was originally on and picking up an apple from the basket. It was the only bright thing in sight.

'Ladybug didn't want to leave but she was hurt too, she needed to go home before- '

'She was hurt!' Chat said loudly, he grabbed my shoulder tightly. 'Where is Lady now? I have to go see if she's ok and- '

'She's fine Chat Noir' I said soothingly, 'her time just ran out, and soon yours will too'

He looked down at his Miraculous to see only one green paw remained. He gave out a frustrated sigh and jumped onto the balcony railing, crouching down on all fours. He looked at me helplessly. I smiled in return.

'Go home Chat Noir, you will see Ladybug tomorrow and talk about all that Jazz then. Don't worry, if you can't find her come to me, she tells me when she's leaving and stuff'

'How do you know her?'

'Chat – '

'Like seriously, I am her partner, how come she told you who she was and not me? It's so unfair!'

I sighed. He didn't have much time left!

'She didn't do it on purpose Chat Noir' I said sadly, 'And when she did, it nearly killed her!'


	2. The wounds

It was only once I was home and standing in front of my mirror wiping the blood off my face that I realised Marinette had been lying. There was blood on her back and dust in her hair, she was covered in small cuts and her hand was pretty messed up, something you could tell just by looking at it. Where had she been tonight?

'Hay Plagg' I called out to the little flying cat resting on my bed side table eating cheese. 'Are there any more kwami in Paris besides Ladybug and myself?'

'No' he said between mouthfuls. 'Why do you ask?'

'It's just Marinette looked like she had been in a fight, but the Marinette I know can't walk five steps without falling over!'

'So you think she had a kwami just because she looked a little ruffled?'

'That does sound quite stupid when you put it that way, doesn't it?'

'Yes'

'Ta gueule' I growled at him.

He laughed, before choking on some cheese which made me smile.

'Maybe Marinette is the Ladybug?' Plagg said after a while, I stopped smiling.

'no, that's just stupid' I said, putting the blood stained tissue in the bin and shaking some dust out of my ear. It was everywhere, in my ears, my clothes, my hair…. Just like Marinette.

'But maybe she just got them when she was helping the Ladybug carry you to her house' a little voice whispered inside my head.

My eyes widened. What else could she have done while I was asleep?

I shook my head. Marinette wasn't like that, if Ladybug trusted her, so could I.

On any chance I should probable talk to her tomorrow, see if she was reveal anything to anyone who asked.

And with that though I went to bed.

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I was so stiff in the morning. My hand still throbbed to touch but at least it was bearable, but my back was on fire after I did the simple task of putting my shirt on. This was going to be a hard day; I just hope to god I don't have to fight anytime soon.

And with that happy thought, I left my nice soft pink room for the dull blandness of the real world and its horrors, mainly school.

'Hey girl' said my friend Alya as she appeared next to me on the street. Her red chequered shit standing out like a gen in this bland world.

'Hi' I said, instantly brightening at the sight of her.

'Guess what?' she said smirking. She did this almost every day as we walked to school, every time with a new trivia fact about the Ladybug or my darling Adrian. Personally, most days I hoped for the latter.

'What is it?' I asked, using 50% fake enthusiasm and 50% real curiosity.

'Ladybug and Chat Noir destroyed a building last night'

'WHAT' I said, more loud then necessary.

Alya giggled, happy that I gave the right reaction she wanted.

'It's so true, I even have a video' she said, shoving her phone under my eyes. I watched in fascination as the camera showed a few seconds of myself flying out of the collapsing building carrying my feline friend over my shoulder. That was it, all the pubic got of what happened inside that building. I sighed in relief. My secret was safe for now.

'I know right' Alya said, taking my relief for swoon. 'Ladybug is just the best thing ever! She totally destroys gender roles in today's society'

'Is that why you want to meet her so bad' I teased, elbowing her in the ribs softly.

She laughed and elbowed me back, I tried and failed miserable to not flinch as she touched my tender sides, and of course, Alya noticed, she notices everything!

'What's wrong Marinette?' she asked seriously, taking my hand, and then dropping it as I made a small noise of pain.

'What's that!' she demanded pointing at my bashed up hand.

'oh, I, ah well, the thing is….'

'Spill it Marinette, how did you get so hurt?'

'well- '

'did you get jumped?'

'No, Alya- '

'were you robbed?'

'Alya- '

'Does this have anything to do with the collapsed building? Because I know your friends with Ladybug and who know what- '

'ALYA' I yelled, snapping her day dreaming mind out of her imagination.

'I jammed my hand in my sewing machine trying to get a stupid thread out of the stupid gears. It wasn't from any of that cool superhero stuff I just messed up and it is embarrassing that I not only messed up my hand but then fell off my chair and hurt my back, so please, for the sake of my shredded dignity, stop screaming about it!'

She stared at me long and hard before shrugging and we continued our walk to school.

'So' Alya said as we walked into our classroom. 'What were you working on?'

'Hu?' I said, too busy staring at my blond haired beauty of a crush, Adrian, to pay attention to what my best friend had just said. He had a red scratch on his chin that looked recent, I wondered worriedly if he was ok.

'What were you working on when you hurt your hand?' Alya asked, smirking as she realised what I had been looking at.

'Oh' I said, quickly avoiding Adrian's eyes as he looked in my direction. I rubbed my hand softly.

'It was a pair of gloves I was making for my mother, a seam had come undone and I was repairing it. It was fiddley work, making me act un-rationally when the string got caught **again** '

'What you guys talking about?' asked Nino as we sat down behind him and (dreamy sigh) Adrian.

I held up my hand in response.

'Ouch' he said wincing. 'How did you do that?'

I repeated my story and noticed that Adrian got surprisingly stiff half way through my tale. The vain in the back of his neck was twitching!

'Does it hurt?' asked Nino, poking my hand in practically painful part, right where my pinkie finger that was taped to my ring finger and also right on a deep cut that ran about 2cm off my knuckle. Like seriously, why not slam your shoe on my hand, it would be the same results, and I let them know that, by swearing like a sailor who had just stepped on a mine field, or in other words, really fucking loud.

Everyone stopped and stared at me, but I ignored them, because that REALLY hurt!

'God Nino' I moaned, cradling my hand. 'Are you trying to kill me? That would be less painful! God, just go ahead, stab me through, just avoid the hand that is IN PAIN!'

'Miss Dupain-Cheng!' my teacher said sternly, having just walked in on the end of my foul mouthed speech.

I sighed. 'Sorry Miss, my hand just really hurt'

Chloe laughed, and turned towards me.

'I thought you were used to pain Marinette, your constantly have to deal with always looking worse than the rest of us, and I imagine that must hurt!'

Sabrina, her lackey, laughed, but she was pretty much the only one.

'Chloe' I said, turning towards her. 'Go get your father to buy you some new insults, you obviously can't come up with any of your own'

Alya snorted along with half the class, while the other tried to mask their laughter as coughing. Even the teacher looked like she was suppressing a grin, out of the corner of my eye I saw Adrian thumping Nino on the back as if he was choking, while also grinning widely. I looked at Alya who winked back.

'How dare you!' Chloe shrieked. 'My father is the best man alive, and is also the mayor! He is a thousand times better than your flour snorting baker dad!'

'Well at least my father didn't raise a spoiled brat'

Chloe gasped dramatically and looked like she was about to throw her shoe at me before the teacher intervened.

'Stop this at once!' she said sternly. 'Chloe, put your phone away, the school does not need any more visits from the mayor this week, and Marinette…' she sighed. 'Show me your hand!'

Confused, I held it up to her, she took it with gentle fingers.

'Your finger looks broken but I could be mistaken, go to the school nurse for a second opinion'

I nodded, and awkwardly started to pack away my things. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Chloe look outraged that I wasn't going to get in trouble, despite the fact that she had started it. I liked this teacher, it was sad that Chloe was going to try and get her fired, it wouldn't be the first time! Chloe stood up with a huff and stormed out of the classroom, the teacher watched her go with a sigh, but didn't do anything to stop her, she just went back to her desk to start the lesion for the day.

'Marinette' Alya whispered to me, 'What was that! You never spoke back to Chloe before!'

Nino and Adrian turned around slightly in their seats, listening intently but still trying to look like they were paying attention to the teacher.

I shrugged. 'I don't know' I told Alya honestly, 'It just sort of came out before I could stop it'

'Well it was brilliant' said Adrian, Nino nodding eccentrically in agreement.

I pinked slightly.

'Hay Marinette' Nino said as I walked past him to the door. 'I'm sorry I hurt your hand, I didn't know'

I noticed the eyes of half the class on me, and the teacher was nice enough to ignore this for a few seconds. Really going to regret her early retirement, but more importantly, Adrian was looking at me!

I smiled.

'It's ok Nino, just don't do it again, cause I wasn't lying, that really hurt'

'Today Miss Dupain-Cheng' said my teacher softly, I gave her an embarrassed smile walked out of the room.

In the hallway I took a deep breath to steady my nerves, that was not how today was meant to go!

'So Miss Dupain-Cheng, ready for round two!'

I gasped and turned around to see Chloe standing in front of me, with a full on akumatized supervillain get up. Her facial features were sharpened to a point, her wings looked like little darts glued to her face, and her chin looked sharp enough to break diamond. Her very fingers looked more like knives then human flesh!

'Chloe!' I said shocked, why did this always happen to me?

'Not anymore Marinette' she sneered. 'I am the Pointed Princess! And I declare a new law! Anyone who has pierced my heart with sharp words will now have their flesh pierced with my sharp knives! And you shall be the first to feel my wrath!'

And with that, she broke off her own finger (it grew back instantly) and lobbed it in the direction of my neck.

I screamed and ducked to the side, screaming again as I had to dodge out of the way of even more sharp objects flying towards me like darts. I dived out of the way of certain death into a front roll before pushed off the brick wall to slid along the walk way towards the stairs, catching the railing with my free hand and flinging myself down them, screaming all the way. I ran hunched over as 'Pointed Princess' bombarded me with sharp objects before jumping over the railing for the last half a dozen stairs to ground floor, and sprinting full pelt across the basketball court and towards the front door, zig-zagging all the way.

'MARINETTE!'

I look up to see my class huddling around the doorway of our classroom, drawn out by my screaming, Alya was at the front of the crowd, it was her that had screamed out my name.

'New law!' Pointed Princess screeched, turning towards my friends making me stop dead in my tracks. 'Anyone who sides with the accused shall die with them!'

'ALYA, RUN!' I scream, just before Princess aims at my best friend and fires.

Adrian jerks her back at the last moment, Alya falls to the ground unharmed and I give out a sigh of relief, but Princess just gnashes her teeth and aims again. I have to stop this!

'Hay Princess Pinhead' I yell, wincing at how bad that was, it was even worse that Chloe's insults.

'Aren't you forgetting someone!' I say, holding out my arms as if to intimidate her.

'Oh I haven't forgotten about you!' she snarled, shooting at me faster than I thought she could. As Ladybug, I could of back flipped out of the way easily, but as Marinette, I barely avoided my head being torn a new entrance. I jumped to the left then turned and judo rolled to the right, coming up from in a sprint towards the door about 25ft away. I was within arm length of the door when a dart hit my shoulder, splattering blood on the floor around me, and the force of it knocking me off my feet and onto the wall next to the door, my legs collapsed underneath me and I fell hard onto my shoulder, the pain of it was so unbearable I passed out for a few seconds. People were screaming my name when I came too; people were just screaming in general. I clenched my teeth and pushed myself upright against the wall. It and the floor and my clothes and pretty much everything around me shone with bright red, it un-nerved me to relies that was my blood. 'Ok' I thought 'This one's a gusher' I looked up to see people running around wildly, most of my class has barricaded themselves inside the class room but the few who did not were running around the basketball courts like duck in a barrel.

'MARINETTE!' someone screamed. I turned towards the voice to see Nino holding back a fighting Alya inside the classroom, she was fighting tooth and claw to get to me!

'No' I croaked out. 'No' I yelled as she managed to throw Nino to the ground.

'ALYA STAY WHERE YOU ARE!' I bellowed in the toughest voice I could manage. 'DON'T YOU DARE COME OUT HERE!'

'Oh, so your still alive then?' snapped Princess, aiming at me again. A hand pulled me roughly out of the way of several darts that embedded themselves in the wall where my head was. I cried out as the same hands pulled me to my feet and whisked me out the door and around the corner of the building while I stumbled to keep up. I never got to see what Alya was going to do, I let out a whimper.

'Are you ok Princess?' asked a voice as I tripped over nothing and fell to my knees.

'Chat!' I said, surprised to look up at the leather clad blond. How did he get here so quickly? I zeroed in on his chin where is had been split over last night, now it was only a faint scratch. That's good news at least.

'The one and only' he purred, kneeling down in front of me. 'We need to stop the bleeding' he said suddenly, all charm gone once he realised I was actually hurt! My shoulder was bleeding like a bitch and hurt like one too, so I guess his concern wasn't un-necessary.

'Use my cardigan' I said, flinching as I tried to move my injured hand to take my jacket off my injured shoulder, just my luck that I hurt both arms.

'Here' Chat, leaning around me to gently ease my cardigan off my shoulder, he winced as he saw the wound through my white shirt.

'Good news is' Chat said as he used his claws to rip my sleeve clean from the body of the shirt. 'Is that there is nothing in there, it was a clean shot in and out'

'that's good I guess' I said, before taking a sharp intake as Chat pressed my back sleeve to my shoulder and tied it tightly to stop the bleeding.

'How's your back?' he asked me as he did the finishing touches to my torque. Ah, so he saw through my paint story. I looked up at him, his hair almost as white as his skin, making his black mask stand out like lightning. His eyes were green I guess; I was never too sure.

'It's better then before' I told him meeting his eyes as he looked up from my shoulder. He was so close, his nose almost touching mine. He cleared his throat and backed away, noticing how close we were for himself.

'Bad news is' he said, continuing with the conversation 'I have to go fight this girl now. Do you think you can manage by yourself?' He sounded sincerely concerned about me, but I guess I would be too if I saw someone soaked in their own blood.

'I'll be fine Chat Noir, go, save the day, I will tell Ladybug about Pointed Princess when she gets here'

He nodded, looked at me for a few more seconds before getting up and turning to run, but after a few steps he stopped in his tracks and turned to me again.

'Wait here for me Marinette, I want to see if you're ok after all this!'

I looked at him shocked for a few seconds, before slowly nodding. He smirked back and sprinting inside, towards the screaming and towards the world's most spoilt brat and her worst temper tantrum to date.

0000000

God, Marinette looked terrible! Her white t-shirt was drenched with her own blood and she just sat there, pale skin shining out against the red, like it was nothing! I never thought of Marinette as bad ass before, but seeing her evade those darts down on the basketball court like a pro, seeing her risk her own safety to draw fire away from the class, then when she was shot she was screaming for her friend to stay back, God, Marinette is the definition of Bad Ass!

I just wish she would stop hiding how cool she is behind her clumsy and embarrassed personality. In fact, as Adrian Marinette hasn't even said two sentences to me! And on top of that she knows the real identity of Ladybug! I was going to have to talk to her eventually, as Chat or Adrian, I just needed answers, even about the little things like why did she tell Chat one story about her hand and her friends another? Why didn't she tell Chat about her back? What does she mean it nearly killed Ladybug? God, that girl was a complicated mess of riddles bleached pink and stuffed into pigtails! But I had to forget about her now, I had to fight Chloe, and hope that Ladybug will show up soon.

'How dare you defile your Princess' Chloe screeched as I entered the school again, she was shooting at the hiding places of the students, cornering them in like rats.

'That isn't very nice' I called out to her, standing in the light of the doorway looking very heroic as my shadow played across the court.

'You!' Chloe snarled, pointing her hand in my direction. 'You possess the Miraculous! Hand it over!'

'how about….' I said, pretending to ponder over it, 'No'

'You sealed your fate' she bellowed, shooting at me like her life depended on it, I was about to jump out of the way when I felt a hand grip my shoulder. I turned to see Ladybug standing beside me, her yo-yo out and swinging so last it was literally like a shield, god I loved it when she did that, it made everything so easy.

'Hello My Lady' I said, smirking.

'Hey Chat' she said slightly out of breath. 'Marinette told me about the Princess, we need to stop her and fix everything so people don't die from their injuries, and quick!'

'How do you know people got hurt?' I asked her, shocked.

'I can see the blood'

There were splatters of it everywhere on the basketball, but no body's in site, hopefully they are safe! L.B is right, we have to stop her, and soon.

'Let's speed this up' I told her, 'use your lucky charm now!'

'I can't' she panted, 'I'm using the magic for something else'

'Like what?' I asked, amazed. What would she be using it for?

She shot me a glance that said to drop it, but I read in between the lines. She was pale, sweat was dripping off her face despite the fact that she was practically doing nothing, she was gripping her yo-yo with her right hand but using her left to brace her right arm as if trying not to use it. Her pupils were dilated, and no matter how many times I told myself I was because she was with me I knew better, she was hurt, and was using all the magic she possessed to stop it from getting worse. This just got 10 times worse!

'Is it serious?' I asked her, whipping out my staff and taking over as the human shield so she could take a break, she obviously needed it as she drooped where she stood like she was about to collapse.

'It will be fine once we take the Princess down' she told me, bracing her right shoulder.

'Wait, Chloe did this?' I said, shocked. Just, how?

She didn't get to answer as Chloe took that time to shoot at the wall above us, raining bricks and plaster down on us.

'Wait' I said as we both jumped forward to avoid the falling objects., 'if there isn't an object to send back in a flash of light and red hearts, then there will be nothing to heal you!'

'Shit' she said, her eyes wide.

'Very nice My Lady, but do you think you can manage a few minutes without healing?'

'I have to don't I' she said shaking her head.

It was a rope, a plane old rope that fell from the sky into her hands.

'What' Lady said, unamused.

'We need a plan' I told her.

'Right'

'You're the smart one' I told her, she glanced at me about to say something but took one look at my handsome face and smiled instead.

'Got it' she said, sliding closer to me and grabbing my bell around my neck.

'Now is not the time to confess your love My lady' I told her quickly, a bit shocked as to how close she was now. I could count her freckles on her chin.

'Cool it cat' she told me coldly, pulling my bell (and me in fact) into the light.

'When I say go, run for the Princess and tackle her to the ground, try and tie this around her wrists' she said, looping the rope around my waist, leaning close to me to get her arms around me. I tried not to shiver. 'and don't get shot' she finished. 'we will find her Akuma then'

'When will you say go' I whispered to her. Just, because I could. She was THAT CLOSE!

In response she angled my shinny bell into the light. Chloe cried out in pain, shielding her eyes

'Go' Ladybug said into my ear, and in seconds I was bounding towards Chloe as fast as I could.

I leaped up the railway in a single bound and in another had Chloe on the ground. She screamed and shook wildly as I gripped her wrists with one hand over her head, straddling her legs so she couldn't move that much. With one hand I gripped both of her hands together and with the other I grabbed the rope around my stomach and clumsily tied it around her wrists. She tossed and turned, I couldn't hold her for much longer.

'Lady' I called, 'a little help please'

She called something to me but I didn't hear it, for at that moment the railway underneath us gave way. I landed on all fours with a thud that made me lose my balance and fall on my ass, only to quickly jump up and scamper out of the way of falling metal, not going to repeat what happened yesterday!

'Why didn't you catch me' I demanded to ladybug as she rushed over, she could have saved me a couple of bruises. She shot me a guilty look.

'Sorry Chat, I was busy with the Princess' she said, gesturing behind me. I turned and nearly laughed. Chloe was suspended cm's of the ground with her toes barley brushing the cement. Ladybug had somehow grabbed the end of the rope not secured to Chloe 's wrists and then looped it around one of the remaining support beams. She had tied the other end to the stair rails to free up her hands.

'So what is her akumi?' I asked her. She looked normal enough, apart from all the added pointiness to her face.

'I think it's her phone' Lady said tilting her head.

'Didn't that already happen?'

'Hasn't everything already happen? This is already cheesy enough, like did you hear m- someone call her Princess Pinhead, that so lame!'

'Yeah' I laughed, 'it was, wait, you where there then?'

'Ummm'

But she didn't get to respond, since at that moment the support beam supporting Chloe let out a terrifying groan.

'She's going to get out!' I said.

'Grab the phone' Lady demanded. I jumped forward and searched Chloe's pockets for it. She screamed and wiggled, not helping my search. She then shot me in the foot.

'Holy fuck' I yelled, hopping away from the swaying villain, 'Mother- '

'Stay still' Lady said, grabbing my foot and wrenching the dart out it.

I swore even worse than Marinette this morning.

'God, why don't you just stab me, it would hurt less' I told her quoting Marinette while clutching my foot furiously while still trying to regain my balance. Ladybug gave me a strange sharp look then, before running towards Chloe.

'Look out' I called to her as she reached into Chloe's pocket and pulled out her purple phone.

'Yeah you've got this' I said quietly as Lady threw it to the ground and stomped on it to release the butterfly.

'Not so fast' Lady growled, flicking her yo-yo towards her prey.

'Bye Bye Pretty Butterfly' she said as it flew to wherever it went once it wasn't evil anymore.

'Nice one Milady' I said hopping over to her and leaning on her shoulder for balance. She took one look at me and winced.

'Your foot looks bad' she said, looking uneasily down at it.

'Are you going to kiss it better?' I asked, leaning closer to her.

She rolled her eyes and shook her head, walking away so I had to hop after her.

'wait' I called, catching her hand. She hissed and I let go immediately.

'Are you ok ladybug?' I asked worried.

'It's ok Chat' she said, cradling her hand. 'I broke a finger apparently, I'm not sure yet but it does hurt like hell'

Wait! She broke her finger too. Something wasn't right.

'Is that what you were trying to heal' I asked her softly hopping closer to her again. I put my hand on her right shoulder and she winced again. I pulled my hand away to see blood on my glove. It had soaked threw her jumpsuit and neither of us noticed since it was the same shade as her outfit. I gasped, she looked ten times paler then before.

'How did you get that?' I demanded, cogs turning in my head in a direction **I DID NOT** want them to go.

'Chat...' she said softly.

'How Ladybug?'

'it's no big deal' she said, taking a step towards me. I backed away from her.

'I- I have to go see someone' I said, limping around her.

'Chat wait' she called after me. I limped faster towards the door.

Suddenly I was surrounded in red. I swore in surprise, swatting whatever it was away from him but in a few seconds they were gone. I turned around to see Ladybug staring at him, her eyes full and her face pale, she looked scared. I sprinted. The front door of the school was surrounded by the fuzz and reporters, when they saw him they all rushed forward for the scoop, I pole bolted over them onto the roof top of the nearby building. I would never be able to get back onto the school grounds as Chat Noir! I jumped down into an ally two blocks from school, transforming just as my feet touched the ground. I shoved Plagg into my shirt pocket with a bunch of cheese to shut him up as I sprinted back to school. I was panting hard as I snuck in the back gate and took a moment to catch my breath, leaning hard against the cold concrete wall.

'hey Adrian' Plagg said sticking his black head out of the top of my pocket. 'This cheese is long gone; can I have some more'

I ignored him and put my head in my hands. 'This can't be happening' I told myself as I let out a sob.

'hey, what's wrong?' Plagg asked, flying up to my shoulder. 'Adrian if it's about the cheese I can wait until we- '

'it's not about stupid cheese' I told him, my voice muffled by my hands.

'Plagg' I looked down at my little annoying friend. My breath came out in gasps but no matter how hard I was breathing I still felt like I had a colossal weight on my chest. 'I think Marinette is Ladybug'

He was silent for a moment. Then … 'So?'

'Plagg' I half screamed. 'Don't you relies how big this is? If Marinette is Ladybug—I would- she would – God, it's just that—this is big for me ok!'

'then why are you panicking?' Plagg asked me. 'You thought Chloe was Ladybug and you were wrong, why panic this time?'

'Because this time it all makes sense! God Plagg' I gripped my hair and pulled as if that could pull the thought of sweet confident Marinette being cool collected Ladybug out of my head. 'how did I miss this?'

'Don't sweat it Adrian' Plagg said softly, 'only panic once you know this is true, otherwise it is just a waist of emotion'

'What do I do Plagg' I begged, looking at him for the only help I could find.

'Go talk to her!' he said soothingly, 'She's meant to be waiting for Chat Noir right now, if she's there ask her casually if she's Ladybug, if she isn't all is A ok, if she is tell her your head over heels for her and want to have her baby's'

I laughed weakly, and nodded. I straitened, brushed my hair out of my eyes and turned the corner to where Marinette was meant to be waiting for me.

000000

'This can't be happening' I whispered to myself. 'This can not be happening!'

I could see it in his eyes, Chat is so close to discovering who I am! He must of saw the panic in mine as he sprinted off, limping slightly on his newly healed foot. So now here I am, on the verge of a panic attack waiting for Chat to show up so I can lie to his face about anything he may ask!

'God' I whispered to myself, wiping away the tears that squeezed out. 'How can this be any worse?'

'Marinette'

I turned around to see Adrian standing at the corner of the school, his blond hair, white in the morning sun was messier than usual, more tousled, less like his usually is and more like the only other blond teen in my life. I gasped loudly and stood up straight.

'Oh no' I whispered to myself. What was he doing here? Wasn't he with the rest of my class inside the building? I had no idea that he got out, I had no idea where he was after he saved Alya. God, this is not good, Chat will show any second now and that will be disastrous. Adrian may see me acting mean to Chat and may think **I** am a mean person, or even worse he may think we are a couple! 'Not good, not good at all' I thought to myself as I plaster a fake smile across my face.

'Hi Adrian' I say cheerfully, 'What are you doing here?'

'I- I was hiding behind the school'

He looked un-nerved. I guess it must be because of my blood drenched shirt, that seems to unnerve people I guess.

'What are you doing here?' he asked me.

I opened my mouth to open but only air came out.

'uh, I'm waiting for someone' I said, rubbing my arm with my good hand. 'He said I should wait for him here'

'he?' Adrian said, walking even closer. I cursed myself.

'Yeah' I said lamely, 'He'

He said nothing as he stood in front of me, within arm length. Usually I would have been spewing word vomit right now and making an ass of myself, but the serious cut off expression he was wearing right now held me back. Why? Why would he be staring at me as if I was a puzzle he was close to giving up on and discarding?

'What's wrong?' I asked him, concerned. He was never this serious in class!

'Nothing' he said quickly, 'Nothing, Marinette'

He looked down at his shoes, looking up at me quickly and then back to his shoes.

'Is- is your shoulder alright?' he asked me softly.

I nodded. 'Yeah, Ladybugs charm healed it instantly'

'and- 'he took a deep breath and looked me in the eye. 'and your hand?'

'I hurt this earlier, nothing to do with Ladybug, just got it stuck in my sewing machine'

'I heard you jammed it in your door?'

'Wh- where?' I asked him, shocked.

He shrugged.

'ladybug hurt her hand too' he said softly, not meeting my eyes.

'what- '

'we should go' he said quickly. I stared at him with wide eyes, he looked back unblinking. Why would he say that? Why would my Adrian, with blond hair and (apparently) green eyes talk about Ladybug? My Adrian, with… with a little cut on his chin just like Chat Noir's.

'No' I breathed. No, no no no no NO! It can't be!

He walked around me, and I turned and watched him go with wide eyes. No.

'Adrian' I called softly. He didn't stop. 'Your still limping, my silly cat'

He stopped in his tracks, and slowly turned towards me, casting a silhouette in the white sunlight that shattered my heart.

'And your hand is still hurt' he said evenly. 'My Lady'

Wow

Wasn't that a page turner.

Oh you get it

Anyway, some translations you may like to know...

Comme il faut= as it should be (first chapter)

Ta gueule = shut up

fuzz= police

Oh, and before I forget,

Merry Christmas


	3. the end

I stared at him, he stared back. All noise had stopped and I could only hear waves. It was like we were on our own little island surrounded by water, we were reacting to the world around us as if we were. But we weren't on an island far away, we were standing behind my school, me in a blood drenched t shirt still damp and him with the messed up hair of his counterpart. We haven't moved, we haven't spoken, we just stared at each over in silence. I took deep silent breath, trying not to cry. Emotions were smashing down on me in waves, each more painful and harsh then the last. I feared if I moved I would shatter. Hate and surprise and shock all took their turns inflicting hardship onto my heart. And pain, so much pain. I could do nothing but stare at him, and he looked back unflinching.

But suddenly there was a blur of adults surrounding us. I saw their mouths moving as if they were calling to me but I heard only the sound of the sea, but then my teacher knelt down in front of me blocking my view of Adrian and it was like the spell was broken.

'-inette! Say something! Marinette!'

I blinked at her.

'What?' whispered.

She let out a sob and pulled me into her arms. I stiffened from shock, my eyes widened as she hugged me, I saw Adrian look over his shoulder at me while being led away by paramedics. I saw Alya running towards me with Nino at her heals, only for him to branch off and tackle hug Adrien. I saw Nino shake his friends shoulder, looking concerned, Adrien shook his head and smiled. Nino laughed and hugged him again.

'Marinette!' Alya half screamed as she reached us. My teacher released me only for Alya to jump on me.

'I was so worried for you' she sobbed into my ear, hugging me tighter. I slowly raised my hands to hug her back, my shock slowly wearing off.

'Sorry to worry you' I said softly, squeezing her harder. I burred my face into her hair and let one a sob, she must have heard it for she held me tighter still.

'Are you ok? Marinette, tell me!'

I released her and took a step back. I was going to start bawling if I stayed in her arms.

I put on a fake smile.

'I'm fine Alya' I said, rubbing my noise. 'My shoulders healed! Good as new! Look'

I pulled my shirt sleeve (still heavily stained with blood) up to show her my smooth blood coated shoulder, the only difference to it than this morning (apart from the blood) was a small thin red scar right where I had been shot. Magic was a miracle to behold sometimes.

Alya breathed out a sigh in relief and shook her head, rubbing the blood she had somehow gotten on her hands onto her shirt. It had blood stains on it too, but I didn't panic, I knew it was my blood.

'There was just so much blood' she said sadly. Sometimes I think she can read my mind.

I tried to respond, but suddenly I was led away by men in uniforms. They took put me in the back of an ambulance and asked me where I was hurt. I told them I was healed, and pulled my t-shirt away to show them my scar, the last remains of my injury. But then they saw the cuts on my back! They looked closer and saw my broken fingers too, and I lost all opportunity of escaping. They carted a few other students that had been hurt today into the ambulance alongside me, Alya somehow managed to sneak on board, using my blood left on her shirt as a cover. We rode to the hospital sitting next to each other holding hands, we didn't speak, and for once, we didn't need to.

0000000

It was her. The girl of my dreams was Marinette. After months of searching and asking and prodding I finally found out that the person I was looking for was right next to me. The realisation of this caused great pain to radiate from my chest as if someone had pushed a stake into it. And how she just stood there, her amazing blue eyes wide with fear, her shirt coated in her own blood and her hands shaking slightly, she was beautiful, no matter what, and the fact that I didn't realise that until now hurt me even more, but what really hurt me the most, what made me feel like I just had dynamite detonate inside my chest, was the way she stood there, stiff as a statue, except for her eyes, there was so much pain in them it looked like she was about to break. She finally knew who her partner was despite not wanting to know, and the truth horrified her. It took all my strength not to run and fast and far away from this school and its blood stained student who looking at me in a way that shattered my heart, so I locked down my emotions, tying them up and throwing them out to sea, and stared back at her as emotionless as I could.

I heard sirens behind me, people shouting, calling for us, but I ignored them, and so did Marinette. But then they were there, pulling me away from her, and I let them, I let them lead me away like I was a lost lamb. I looked at Marinette over my shoulder, she was being hugged by our teacher, she looked lost, like she had just woken from a dream and confused as to why she was here in the first place. She caught my eye. I heard someone calling for her and turned to see Alya and Nino sprinting towards us. Alya dashed past me, a look of worry mixed with pain on her face, but then I was being hugged by Nino.

'Dude!' he said loudly, releasing me but gripping my shoulders tightly. 'What HAPPENED! You disappeared and I had no idea where you were! I thought you had been hurt by Pointed Princess and I – Just- are you ok!'

I smiled and looked shook my head. 'Man Nino' I said, using the same smile I use when modelling, 'I'm not dead, relax'

Nino laughed and hugged me again.

I heard a polite cough beside us and turned to see my father's assistant Natalie. She had the same emotionless face as usual but I swear I could see a hint of concern in her eyes. I guess it took a homicidal manic to terrorise your school to finally get some emotion out of her, who knew?

'Adrian, you father instructed me to take you to the hospital for a full check over as soon as I found you' she said blandly. I shot a glance at Nino, he looked as surprised as I did. 'Come along, we got you a private room'

'I'm fine Natalie' I said smiling. 'I wasn't even in the school at the time'

'I had specific orders from your father to take you to hospital Adrian' she said sternly, before taking a deep breath and if possible, looking at me a little more kindly.

'You can't get out of this one Adrien' she said softly. 'So come along'

'Nino has to come with us' I said quickly. 'he was hurt too'

'What' said Nino confused. 'No I'm n- '

I stomped on his foot to shut him up, he yelped and jumped around holding his foot.

'You know Natalie' he said, leaning heavily on my shoulder, 'I just realised I had some serious foot pain, it would be better if I go with you'

'if you must' Natalie said, her lips quirked up.

0000000000

It turns out Nino being here was irrelevant. As soon as I set foot out of the company car at the hospital I was swept away by a tide of doctors who took me to a private room and did a whole lot of stupid tests on me no matter how hard I protested, I sat there and let them do it, let them press and poke every faint bruise on my back from the collapsing building and let them debate whether the scratch on my chin needed stiches, and only protested when they started talking about making me stay the night!

'No' I said loudly, making the doctors look up from their clip boards. 'I am fine! Give this room to someone who needs it! I want to go home!'

No one really protested. They knew I was right, that I was only here because my rich father demanded it, and they also knew someone else would be extremely grateful to have this room. So within 20 minutes I had my shirt back on for the first time in hours and was waiting in the hallway texting Nino while Natalie stood outside the hospital waiting for the company car she had ordered. Two doctors suddenly walked up to me and stood their silently until I lowered my phone, I remembered them from before.

'We would just like to thank you for giving up your room Mr Agreste. The girl you are donating it to will be most grateful'

I smiled and shook my head. 'I don't even need to be here; you don't need to act like I'm doing anything big'

They laughed. 'We don't usually get any rich young boys as nice as you, most want to stay for weeks until they are absolute sure there is nothing wrong with them, despite the fact that we are already short on rooms'

I smiled widened. Those rich prats are the worst, they act like they own the world and everything in it is just an object with a price tag.

'Who am I giving the room too?' I asked, curious.

'A girl from the school incident like you. She had serious cuts on her back that she had been ignoring for some time and didn't realise they needed stiches. When we asked her why, she said she didn't wont to worry her parents, despite having 3 broken fingers!' they said smiling. 'In fact, the only reason we know about them now was because she came in covered in blood and as pale as death, she truly is a little soldier!'

My stomach clenched. I had a feeling I knew who they were talking about. I fake smiled and nodded until they left.

 **Hay, do you have Alya's number?** I texted Nino

 **Yeah, why?**

 **I just got some news on Marinette, I think you should tell her**

 **How is she dude?**

 **She broke 3 fingers and has to get stiches across her back. She's staying the night.**

 **Ouch. How's she look?**

I sighed and looked up, not knowing what to say, but just then they wheeled her past me on a hospital bed. She was curled up on her side with her back to me, she had a heavy blanket covering her lower half, and her hospital gown was split up the back so I got a perfect view of her scares. Her once white skin was red and swollen, three deep red lines marked her back from her left shoulder blade to her right ribs, each one had black stiches lined down them pulling the swollen skin shut. As she turned the corner I saw that she was holding a heavily cased hand to her chest, her face was pale and her eyes screwed shut. I watched her until she was out of sight, and even then I couldn't look away from the doorway she had disappeared threw.

 **She looks bad**

I watched the doctors then walk out of her room and towards a couple that had been sitting nearby all this time. The man was as big as an Ox with flour behind his ears, the woman looked slightly Japanese with her straight black hair and pink silk shirt, but they both wore the same worried look on their faces. Marinette's parents! The Doctors spoke to them for a few minutes before they rushed forward into Marinette's room, when they came back out 10 minutes later they looked relieved, but also exhausted. Before I could look away the woman caught my eye, she looked surprise, as if she recognised me. Before I could do anything she walked over.

'You're one of Marinette's classmates aren't you?'

I nodded. She smiled and stuck out her hand. I shook it.

'I saw you looking at her before when she went past, she must be important to you for you to look so scared'

My eyes widened and my hand went stiff in hers. She chuckled.

'I may be worried about my daughter, but there isn't much I miss. So how do you know her?'

'I- I um' I cleared my throat. 'Marinette sits behind me in class, my friend Nino has a crush on Alya so he's always talking to her and Marinette, I guess I got drawn in that way'

She smiled wider, her eyes never leaving my face. Why did I get the feeling she could see so much more than the rest of us?

'You can see her if you want' she said suddenly. I looked up startled.

'R-Really?'

She nodded, still smiling. 'She very tired so it can't be for long, but if we are quick I can sneak you in'

'Yes' I said immediately. 'uh, please' I added.

She chuckled and ushered me over to the room Marinette was in. She distracted the nurse and I snuck in while no one was looking.

The room was dark, the only light streaming in threw the open window, the light coming and going with the placement of the clouds. The only sound was the heart monitor, beeping softly in the corner. I my eyes adjusted in the dark and I saw her sitting up in bed, staring at me with her mouth open. The light reflected off the tears on her face.

'Please don't freeze on me again' I said softly, leaning against the door for strength.

'Why are you doing here Adrien' she whispered, but it was still too loud in this small room.

'I- I- ….' I didn't know what to say. 'Start with something small' I thought to myself.

'How did you hurt your back?'

She sniffed and rubbed her eyes with her good hand.

'It looks worse than it feels'

'Marinette!'

'When we slid into the wall after you tackled me' she said clearly.

I flinched, internally cursing myself.

'And your hand?'

'When- 'I saw uncertainty cross her face. 'When I was holding your hand when you were in pain'

Oh god.

I strode across the room and snatched up her good hand, holding it tightly with both of mine.

'Marinette I am so sorry' I told her, my eyes starting to water. 'So, so sorry'

She looked at me startled, her eyes wide. My legs collapsed underneath me and I was kneeling beside her bed, pressing her hand to my face, tears freely falling now no matter how hard I tried to stop them.

'Why' I sobbed out, 'Why do you look at me like I just stabbed someone? Why do I see so much pain in you? Why do you look at me like that now? It is just me Marinette, your partner, your friend! So what if I am your classmate too, why do you hate me so much now?'

'It's just that' she said softly. I looked up to see tears freely flowing from her eyes. 'You were never just my partner, I loved you, but as a friend, you were my best friend! I loved how I was so confidant around you and how I could be ME! Your stupid, stupid jokes made me smile when there wasn't much else to smile about in my life! But now that I know you're A- Adrien, it has all changed'

'Why?' I cried out, 'Why does my real self change everything?'

'Adrien…'

'Why Marinette?'

'Adrien….'

'Tell me!'

'I- '

'Tell me Ladybug!'

'BECAUSE I LOVE YOU!' she cried out. I froze.

'You- you love me!' I said, totally and utterly confused.

'Yes' she said, freeing her hand to rub her face fiercely. 'The first time I saw you Adrien I fell in love with how bright your hair is, it shone in the dull world reflecting the light and making others bright too. The first time you spoke I fell in love with your voice and the beautiful, kind thing you would say with it. The first time I saw you fence I fell in love with how graceful you were, how you were the complete opposite of my clumsy self. The first time I saw you look embarrassed and unsure of yourself despite being a model, I fell in love with how you still thought of yourself as small despite being the biggest thing in my world. Every day I saw you I felt myself love you so much it hurt. Every time you looked my way, even if it was just for a second, I fell even more in love with you despite you never even knowing my name most day. I love you Adrien, because your sweet, and kind and is the type who would never cheat on love because you never got enough of it. I love you Adrien, and that won't ever change'

I was frozen from shock. She knew me. Not just the me I paraded around in for everyone to see, she saw past my mask to see the ignored, unsure little boy who just wanted to be loved. She knew that if I fell in love I would never abuse it, and she loved me for that!

'I love you too' I whispered. 'I love you so much I felt like breaking when you found out the real me and reacted like that, I love more than anyone else in my life! I never want to let you go and seeing you on this bed hurt more then – '

'Stop' she said, crying even harder now.

'Why? I love you Ladybug! Nothing will change that, not now not- '

'You love Ladybug' she sobbed out, pushing me away with a weak hand. 'You love the confident gymnastic girl with the mask and the superpowers, you don't love ME! Not the real me'

'I don't care' I said, gripping her hand again, harder this time.

'Don't say that' she cried out. 'I am a seamstress, I am a baker, I am a clumsy girl who hates physics. The girl you love is only half of me, and you only loving half of me is worse than not loving me at all!'

'I don't care Marinette. I don't care that your father leaves a faint traces of flour on everything or that your always late to class. When I learnt who you were, I fell in love with you even more than before!'

'Don't say that Chat' she sobbed. 'Don't get my hopes up. You love Ladybug, not Me'

'And you love Adrien' I almost shouted. I was losing her! 'Would you still love me if I grew a moustache like that stupid pickpocket we fought last month? Would you still love me if I was poor? Would you Marinette?'

'Always' she sobbed. Putting her head in her hands. 'Even if you are allergic to feathers, like who does that?'

Despite her tears she was trying to make a joke, and despite his he smiled slightly.

'Then you understand that I will always love you, I always knew that once I knew the real you I would love that too, no matter how weird you were'

'Then why does it hurt so much' she whispered, curling in on herself. 'Why is there so much pain?'

I got up from the side of her bed and sat down beside her, wrapping my arm carefully around her shoulders.

'Because when learning something new one is entitled to feel pain. And I guess it wasn't the best way to introduce ourselves, was it?'

She laughed weakly, leaning her head on my chest and looking up at me with those beautiful blue eyes I adored. She reached up and wiped away my tears gently with her hurt hand.

'Oh my silly Cat' she whispered. 'How are we going to get over this?'

'Simple, we are going to fall deeply in love each other, and with all their flaws and personality's, we will continue to fight crime but only once you are healed, and we never keep secrets from each over again and we will annoy our friends each and every day by showing them just how much we love each other in every way possible!'

'We will fight and scream' Marinette added. 'We will scare each other with how much hate we can possess for someone we love so much and then we will remember why we love them in the first place and forgive then, only to do the same thing the next day. We will not be perfect, no one is, but we will make the other one feel like their life is perfect'

'We will never let the other forget how much we love them, and we will never feel this pain again. We will grow old and fat and enjoy every moment of it. Does that sound like a plan Marinette?'

'The best kind' she whispered, pulling me down into a kiss that I had been waiting far too long for, but would wait for eternity to do again.

0000000000000

It had been 10 years since I confessed my love to Adrien, the best 10 years of my life. When the nurse came in on us in that hospital bed holding each other that night, I thought I would die of embarrassment, but she sighed and clutched her chest, saying 'This is so adorable I could burst!' Adrien had laughed, kissed me again and then snuck out of the room before the nurse could compose herself, but not before promising to see me again the next day. And he did, this time with flowers and my best friend Alya, who had Nino standing behind her very possessively. He apparently had bribed the hospital into letting them visit me despite the no visiting rule unless your family in place. Alya and Nino had watched in shock as Adrien had strode over and kissed me on the lips, but then she raised an eye brow and said some very mean jokes that I won't mention here.

They weren't that mean!

Shhh. Anyway, I won't bore you on how he then met my parents and my mother smirked harder than I had ever seen before, or how Chloe made the biggest fix when she found out we were dating, or how fighting got harder and harder as the akuma's got stronger, or how we got stronger in return. I won't go on and on about how hard our lives were because we fought crime in secret, but together we could take down any threat that got in our way.

I won't even mention how many times we fought over petty things throughout our relationship, but I will say, I never regretted trusting that blond haired boy with my heart, he treated it with respect and care, and I made sure his was full in return. I never stopped loving him, and if possible, when I saw him standing in his black and white tux at the end of the isle, with the trimming the same shad of grey as his eyes, his white hair, for the first time in his life, combed back off his handsome face, my heart loved him even more, because in my little black and white world, we was my sun.

And of course, my heart always belonged to Marinette! She nearly broke it when she took so long to say yes on that roof top when I proposed, her long black hair floating in the wind and her vivid blue eyes so wide it absorbed the light around them. I had called to her softly, worried that I had made a fool of myself as I knelt in front of her in my tight leather suite, we were only 23 you know, it was a bit early to be getting married! But I didn't want to wait, I loved her that much! But then she had flung herself at me sobbing yes over and over between kisses and I felt like my heart was going to explode with love. She looked simply stunning in her wedding dress, black hair against white skin, red roses radiating against her slim white dress, she was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen.

I guess you could say we were meant for each other, and we prove that every day!

Marinette!

Mmmm

Do you think he can even hear us?

Marinette laughed and looked up from their gorgeous son, Hugo to her husband. He had changed so much in the 11 years she had known him. His hair, still vibrantly blond was longer now, and incredibly sexy when he messed it up. He had grown and his shoulders widened, mussels replaced lanky frame and charm replaced flirt, not that he flirted with anyone besides Marinette of course. Marinette had changed too of course, her hair was almost to her waist now but her eyes still as vibrant as ever, she was 25 now, no longer a skinny teenager. She was also a wife and a mother now. The mother to their completely spoiled first born son, with his eyes the same colour of his father and his hair black as night to match his mothers.

'We must always tell him the wonders of love' she told her husband as they gazed down at their fidgeting child in his cot, his arms around her shoulders and she leant into his chest.

'Absolutely' he agreed, kissing her forehead. 'For love softens the blandness of the world and makes everything softer'

'Absolutely' she agreed, pulling him into a kiss like she had done a thousand times before, and will do a thousand times again.


End file.
